Blinding White
by WhiteWisteria
Summary: Through the blinding white, she watches for him. Natsume, please be safe. NxM oneshot.


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**Blinding White**

SnowMirage

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**Through the blinding white of snow, she watches for him. Natsume, please be safe. NxM oneshot.**

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**For **Dear Julie

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Snowflakes, billions of it, fell from the sky with a vengeance, thick and fast. The halls of the dormitory emanated a bitter cold the students felt to their bones, with bitter winds that screamed through the hallways and crevices in the windows.

The academy grounds lay covered by a white blanket a few feet deep, with the snowstorm showed no signs of letting up. With the classes cancelled, the students huddled around in each other's room, chatting and laughing with hot mugs of cocoa to keep the chill away.

All but one.

Hyuuga Natsume was missing amongst the lot.

Up in Imai Hotaru's three-star room, a forlorn trio was gathered there.

The brunette stood at the large floor-length window, palms pressed against the glass pane made to remain clear despite the contradicting temperatures on both sides of the pane. Teeth-chattering cold seeped through from the windows into her palm despite the heater in the room, and it made her wonder how it must be like to be outside, like Natsume was.

Amber eyes searched the blinding white outside, worry and sadness swimming in them.

He had always been so alone, even amongst the rowdy lot of Class B. There was a jaded look in his eyes, weariness for life that had put him apart from the rest of his age group. As though he knew that life was never as pretty and easy-going as children his age thought it to be. He turned away from those who cared, because he cared for them.

Stubborn, he had refused her offer of friendship and companionship once and again, had hurt her once and again to push her away. But then, she had always been as stubborn as he had. Every time he pushed her away, she redoubled her efforts and reached out a hand to him again.

Just to see that aching loneliness in those crimson depths go away.

She worried for him, on the days he went out on those missions he loathe so much. She worried that he might never return again.

_Natsume, where are you? _

"Mikan." The soft voice had amber eyes trailing over to the image of Hotaru reflected in the window.

Gentle hands landed on her shoulders. Mikan's hands fell to her sides, the palms turning a deep red from the cold.

She leaned her head onto Hotaru's shoulder, seeking comfort like she always had from her best friend. Yet, her eyes never left the window.

"Sakura, have some cocoa." Ruka moved up to them, with two steaming cups of cocoa in his hands. He handed one to Hotaru, who accepted with a little nod of thanks and pressed the other into Mikan's hand.

"Arigatou Ruka-pyon." The words were soft, barely audible as she lifted her eyes to the blonde and smiled at him wanly, hugging the cup to her chest. Then her attention drifted back to the desolate picture framed by the window out there, keeping vigil for the raven-haired boy who meant so much to her.

Then, through the blinding haze of white, they saw the black and crimson of their uniforms.

_Natsume._

There was a clatter of glass shattering as the cup fell from Mikan's fingers, splashing hot cocoa all over the mat.

She ran desperately out of the room, her footsteps loud against the marble tiling of the hallways, ignoring the calls of her name from both Hotaru and Ruka behind her.

_Natsume, please be okay._

The stairs seemed to stretch forever and tears of frustration formed in her eyes as she slipped once in her haste to get to the bottom. Picking herself up, she raced for the double door entrance.

She forgot in that moment that all she had on was a T-shirt and skirt, barely enough to keep the cold at bay, and that she was barefooted. It didn't matter to her at that moment, because all she could think about was to get to him.

Pulling one of the doors open, she ignored the piles of snow that tumbled in, scrambling instead to find foot hold on the soft snow.

The cold stabbed into the soles of her feet like little needles, the wind slapped her face viciously. She pressed on, pushing through the mounds of snow reaching her waist to reach him.

_Natsume!_

Her call was lost as the wind whipped it away, yet, he seemed to hear her, for his crimson eyes whipped up to her.

By now, the wet cold seeping through her clothes were almost unbearable. Mikan hugged her arms to herself as her teeth chattered. Her ponytails hung limply at the sides of her face, drenched by the snow.

Suddenly, a brilliant flash of orange ripped through the whiteness that surrounded her.

_Fire. _

The snow around her melted, freeing her from their grasp as the flames died down.

Then, he was standing in front of her, crimson eyes narrowed. For a moment, it was almost as though they were the only people in this world of white.

"What are you doing out here, you idiot." He snapped out, fury glinting in his eyes.

Usually, the sight of an angry Natsume would have the brunette cowering, but this time, the happiness at seeing him simply overwhelmed her and she only grinned happily at him.

"Wa-aitin-ing f-f-or yo-ou," She managed out through her chattering teeth.

He rolled his eyes and made to grab her arm to drag her back, only to release it in the next moment at the cold her skin emanated.

A light curse slipped from his lips and he reached for her again, grabbing her by the arm to pull her along, only to be stopped by her.

"I, I can-an't wa-walk. Co-old." Mikan smiled sheepishly at him. Her legs had gone numbed after contact with the snow.

He glared at her once, then reach over to scoop her up into his arms as though she weighed no more than a feather.

She slipped her arms around his neck, grateful for the warmth he emitted like his alice. She forgot about the fluttering snow that surrounded them, the bitter cold that nipped at her skin.

"Why did you do that?"

The question had her blinking up at him. He looked straight ahead, tramping through the snow surely towards where the academy was.

"Wa-aiting for yo-ou, li-ike I said."

"Barefooted?" The ironic tone in his voice had her blushing in embarrassment.

"I fo-orgot." She mumbled out, disgruntled, on a puff of cold air.

"Hn. Idiot polka dots."

"H-hey!" Indignant, she slapped at his shoulder. A ball of fire appeared at her shoulder, causing the brunette to shriek once.

"Oi, polka dots."

"Don't call me that!" Mikan glared up at him.

He ignored her, simply continued," Don't wait for me anymore."

"Why?"

"Because I will always come back."

Amber eyes locked onto crimson as the promise echoed between them.

"Okay." The small whisper escaped from her lips as a smile curved her lips.

_And through the blinding white, a promise was made. _

_A promise that would last forever._

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**Owari.**

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a/n: Bear with the mistakes. I'll correct them again in a few days. Gomen ne (:


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